Those who live in Shawlands aren’t exactly short of decent Italians nearby - but the buzz on the street is still about relative newcomer Pazzo, an informal restaurant and takeaway run by the same team as the much-loved fine dining emporium Black Dove next door.

We’ve long been saying that pizza is having a moment here in Glasgow, taking over from the too-long-lived burger craze and bringing in some brilliant, authentic slices across the city.

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So does Pazzo live up to the rest - and would you want to bet your Friday night on the couch on its menu of Italian classics?

Here’s our verdict …

Where is it?

Slap bang in the middle of Kilmarnock Road - so it’s hard to miss. Pazzo slots in between Black Dove and that Indian restaurant with the curiously Disney-alike sign (of all the fonts in the world, why choose that one?)

There’s a seating area outside if you’re feeling the heat and a little seating area at the window if you’re waiting on your food - or you could stare at food being served to the row of tables inside and make the customers feel just a wee bit uncomfortable, your call. The white and blue decor gives it more of a relaxed, cafe vibe - which is ideal if you rock up in it’s-my-day-off leggings and don’t want to be judged by those well-turned out diners.

What was the service like?

No complaints at all. I had placed an order on JustEat hours before and arrived 15 minutes early - happy to say my food wasn’t sitting waiting for me but timed perfectly. The girls behind the counter were polite to a tee and left me to browse magazines while I waited.

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So let’s get to the good stuff. What about the food?

Ever the intrepid reviewer, I probably ordered enough to feed the 500. My other half was delighted.

We shared the curiously vague lasagna poppers to start - which turned out to be slices of lasagne, about the size of your palm, deep-fried in breadcrumbs and served with a marinara dip. He loved them, I didn’t really get the point - a novelty, sure, but I like my lasagne as it is.

We split one pizza and one pasta dish between us too. Pazzo won be back with their ox cheek tagliatelle; a rich, lightly spiced tomato sauce packed full of melt-in-the-mouth beefy goodness, all covering an ample amount of pasta ribbons.

The pizza was very good too; a traditional well-fired crust topped with spicy nduja sausage, goats cheese and basil. My only complaint is this; why so stingy on the toppings, Pazzo? All included, my choice of base, sauce and topping came to £10, and I’d have liked more of them to justify it. Still, it was a good pizza - a nugget more of sausage and it might have been the best on the southside.

As if all that wasn’t enough, we ordered a side of truffle fries too - and mountain of food or not, I’m so glad we did. That pungent truffle smell followed me all the way home, tempting me to break into Pazzo’s takeaway bag and sneak a chip or 10.

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What about meal deals and the rest of the menu?

There are lots of small bites, pastas and pizza toppings to choose from, as well as a wee selection of mains and desserts - oh, and breakfast too, if you’re hankering for a pancake stack or the south side’s take on the legendary Glasgow Scooby Snack (that’s a roll with two square sausages, two rashers of bacon, two potato scones, black pudding and a fried egg for £7).

There’s also a tempting sandwich board for lunchtime eats - and a fridge full of bottled beer for £1.50 a go, if you’re so inclined (very continental).

As for special offers, here are just a couple; you can grab two pizzas, two pastas or one of each plus Prosecco or four beers for £20 (Sun-Thurs), or one small bite, one main and a can of juice for £10.

So how much are we talking?

Considering the feast we had, £24.25 wasn’t too steep. The ox cheek tagliatelle was a steal at £7 (the average price for most pasta dishes) and the small bites all clock in between £2 and £5.

The 12in pizza at £6 plus individual prices for toppings was my only complaint - an average £2 for meat, £1 for veg (and the odd imported ingredient coming in at £4) means the price soon mounts up. There are places in Glasgow doing the same thing for cheaper, making Pazzo’s menu seem a tad overpriced.

The verdict

As takeaways go, it’s a thumbs up from me - there are terrible pizza delivery places out there and I’m ashamed to admit I’ve tried a few. Pazzo’s offerings are a cut above the usual stuff to-go, and I’d happily put another order in (although I might tread cautiously on the topping front).